I chose these publications for their avant garde, intelligent approach to fashion and art. They do not have a strong commercial focus. Rather they conduct themselves as cultural resources. I like this respectful approach to fashion as an art form, not a mass-production driven industry.

So… how do I get there?

I have a preliminary plan. Past that, I don’t know how to progress simply because I lack the industry knowledge and experience. I don’t know how a good photographer becomes an industry leader, an artist in their own right. This is something I will have to learn through living and breathing it.

It also means I will have to master my craft until I am so technically excellent that I can’t be ignored.

I am a photography student bereft of a website. People are always asking me for business cards (which I do not yet have) that would point to a website (which I also do not have!). I do have a photography tumblr, with some work on it, but it’s not entirely professional. If there’s one thing I learned from all the successful business people I have come across, it’s the mantra: Presentation Is Everything.

On my quest to design the brand identity that will reflect my own creativity, I present to you: Market Research 101! Here is my collection of the prettiest, simplest, cleanest and most personal online portfolios.

The creative people that I admire and follow tend toward minimalism, and simplicity. Yet there seems to be an element of playfulness. There is usually also a bent towards the handmade, and the natural. These elements are reflected through choice of fonts, colours, placement and negative space.

I really want to avoid anything that is over-designed! Simplicity is sophistication – and ease of use is king.

This one is a super clean, contemporary portfolio that resonates with me on a number of levels. I love the bold, clean design and typography. The image is the focus; the landing page has a big image with text overlaid in the corner. This then transitions to a slideshow of his different works, so you immediately get to see the photographer’s scope and arsenal of styles. The range of images do not compete with each other, but rather show strength over different areas.

As a nice touch, he has a page displaying his studio in Sydney. As a client, I’d be confident hiring him to execute my concept. Being able to see his space presented beautifully is another huge plus in the client’s eyes.

I’m a fan of the fullscreen with little square frames for the navigation links! The portrait gallery is beautifully presented. Just a little peek of the head, all identically positioned. This site takes full advantage of screen real estate. Restrained colours and beautiful skintones shine in the simple layout.

This website looks quite fresh and contemporary from a design perspective, perhaps a little younger in appeal. I like her use of typography and photography together. I like the way she has structured her galleries, too. The main image is at the top of the page, and when you scroll down a grid-style gallery appears. The interactive changing image opacities give it a nice light feel.

I like her use of solid icons as arrow and social media buttons. I’d like to do something quite similar to her overall feel and asethetic.